1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to recreational apparatus, and more specifically to an improved ball pitching device as used in a soft-toss drill.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Baseball, softball and related sports are very popular, and numerous mechanical devices have been developed to assist and train players of the games. For example, several types of pitching or ball toss machines have been designed to enable a player to practice his batting skills without requiring another player to manually pitch the ball to him. Most such ball toss machines utilize a motor to sequentially throw the ball to the batter, or to release the ball down an inclined ramp and into the batter's "strike zone" for hitting. Such motorized devices are, by their very nature, relatively complex and expensive, and therefore not readily available to many consumers. More significantly, these devices require a power supply, usually in the form of an electrical extension cord extended to the nearest electrical outlet, or use of a portable electric generator, in order to operate. Thus, these devices are not always able to be used where desired, as in an open field or ballpark.
Other ball toss devices have been developed which are not motorized and do not require electrical power, but rather require manual operator release of a ball down a chute or tube towards an upwardly inclined extension, to gently "pitch" the ball to the batter. However, the release mechanisms on known manual devices are often poorly positioned and/or difficult for the operator/batter to manipulate. Furthermore, due to the structural geometry and arrangement of their release mechanisms and chutes, these known manual devices deliver the ball to the batter's strike zone very quickly, so that the batter has little time to set up and prepare to swing. Thus, such devices are often not desirable as practice or teaching tools.